U.S. under secretary of state for political affairs Allison Hooker’s visit to South Korea suggests that the most important negotiations between the two countries may be about how a more capable South Korean military fits into an alliance increasingly focused on security challenges beyond the peninsula.

Hooker arrived in Seoul this week for meetings with senior ROK officials.

Public readouts have been sparse, offering little detail beyond broad references to alliance coordination and implementation of agreements reached during last year’s summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and ROK President Lee Jae Myung.

At first glance, the agenda appears straightforward. South